hickie



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. P. HIGKI'E.

CIGAR CABINET.

No. 310,942. Patented Jan. 20, 1885. f

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4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. F. HIOKIE.

CIGAR GABINET.

Patented Jan. 20, 1885.

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4 Shets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

J. F. HICKIE.

CIGAR CABINET.

No. 310,942. Patented Jan. 20, 1885.

' cigar box or cabinet complete, taken along the 1 out the several views.

ATENT Fries.

JAMES FRANCIS HICKIE, OF SLEVO IR, ROSCREA, IRELAND.

CIGAR-CABINET.

, SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,942, dated January 20,1885.

Appliratirn filed June 16, 1584. (No model.

$0 at whom. it may concern:

Be itlcnown that I, JAMEs FRANCIS HIOKIE, a subject of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, and residing at the Junior United Service Club, London, England, and Slevoir, Roscr-ea, Ireland, have invented a new and useful Cigar Box or Cabinet, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in cigar boxes or cabinets constructed and arranged with a view to prevent fraudulent tampering with the contents thereof after the same has been charged with cigars of any given brand, the saidimproved cigar box or cabinet also effecting the self-delivery of the cigars therefrom as they are required for use without affording access to the interior thereof. 1 attain these objects by the box and mechanism contained therein illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved line 1 2 in Figs. 2 and 4. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section taken partly along the line 3 4 and partly along theline 5 6 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the lower part only of the cabinet, also taken along the line 1 2 in Figs. 2 and 4, but showing the mechanism in a differ ent position. Fig. 4 is afront elevation of the cabinet, showing a portion thereof in transverse vertical section taken along the line 7 8 in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and looking from the front of the cabinet; and Fig. 5 is atransverse vertical section of the cabinet, taken along the line 9 10 in Figs. 1 and 2, and looking from the back thereof.

Similar letters refer to similar parts through- A is the body of the cigar box or cabinet, composed of wood, metal, or other suitable material, and of any design or shape, according to taste. It may be supported on feet or legs (not shown in the drawings) of any ornamental design, and is provided with a lid or cover, 13, on the top, which is capable of being locked or otherwise securely closed, and when closed and filled with cigars is,for greater security against fraud, sealed or otherwise protected by a trade-mark or other label constitutinga guarantee of the quality or brand of the cigars which it contains. Consequently the refilling or the replenishing of the sameby the addition of other cigars of an inferior quality to the brand with which it was originally supplied cannot be effected without detection by reason of the destruction of the seal or label involved in the opening of the cabinet, while the delivery or discharging mechanism is so arranged as effectually to prevent the introduction of a cigar otherwise than through the open top of the cabinet.

C is a transverse vertical partition separating the eigarholding portion of the cabinet from the chamber containing the mechanism which effects the delivery of the cigars as required for use, and which serves to check the fraudulent introduction of a cigar into the cabinet back through the delivery-aperture, as hereinafter explained, said mechanism being inclosed in a separate compartment, D, of any suitable shape, according to the general form or design of the cabinet.

In my drawings, for the sake of greater simplicity, I have merely shown a plain, rectangular box with a compartment, D, in the rear portion, extending from bottom to top, for inclosing the mechanism. The main portion of the cabinet is subdivided by the partitions E E into any number of narrow vertical compartments, a, (five being shown in my drawings,) each compartment extending from top to bottom of the cigarholding portion or magazine of the box or cabinet. These vertical compartments are each of a-width sufficient only to contain a single vertical row of cigars placed horizontally therein, and lying one above another, as shown by the dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 4. They are left open or fully exposed for charging or refilling when the lid or cover B is opened for that purpose, but are each closed at the bottom by a hollow rotating cylinder, 1). An opening, 0, (shown clearly in Fig. 4,) is made longitudinally in the side of each cylinder, of a width and length sufficient to admit of the entrance sidewise of a single cigar at a time into the interior of the hollow cylinder when turned with its open side upward, as shown at'the middle compartment in Fig. 4. When in the reversed position-namely, with the open side downward, as shown at the righthand compartment in Fig. 4-the lowest cigar of the vertical row in the corresponding compartment, (1, rests upon the closed convex side or surface of the hollow cylinder 71, which thus supports the entire vertical row of cigars in the compartment above. The front ends of the several cylinders are supported by and are free to rotate in a suitable bearing formed in the lower part of the front of the cabinet, and the rear ends are supported by and are free to rotate in corresponding bearings formed in the rear transverse vertical partition, 0. The outer or front ends of the several cylinders are flush with or may project more or less through the front of the box or cabinet, and are each provided at that end with means for facilitating the turning of each cylinder as requiredsuch, for example. as a key-hole, (l, for the reception of a key of any suitable form, or a convenient knob, 6, turned by the finger and thumb of the operator, or a small lever-handle, f, (see Fig. 6,) the position of the handle serving also to indicate the position of the opening in the side of the corresponding cylinder. The normal position of the cylinder is shown in the righthand compartment in Fig. 4namely, with the opening a downward; but on turning the cylinder half-round, or into the position shown in the second compartment from theright-namely, with the opening upwardthe lowest cigar of the vertical row above will drop into the ho1- low of the said cylinder, and on completing the revolution the said cigar will drop out of the cylinder into the receiving-chamber g below, from which it is delivered or discharged longitudinally through an open mouth in the front of the cabinet by the action of a spring striker or propeller working through the inner end of the chamber 5 as hereinafter described. On the rear end of each cylinder there is formed, either in one piece therewith or in aseparate piece screwed or otherwise secured to a journal at the rear end of the cylinder,and in the axial line thereof, a cylindrical scroll-cam, 72, round the surface of which is formed a spiral groove, making one turn round the cam, as shown clearly in Figs. 1, 2, and 8, each end of the spiral groove opening into or communicating with a short straight groove, z, made parallel to the axis of the cam and cylinder, as seen in Figs. 2 and 8.

k isa propeller or striker for discharging the cigar from the receiving-chamber 9 so soon as it has been dropped therein from the cone spending cylinder above. Each striker consists of a sliding piece moving longitudinally in the direction of the center line of the corresponding receiving-chamber, and supported and guided by a pin, Z, sliding freely inside a corresponding longitudinal bore in the center of each cylindrical scroll-eam, and further guided and maintained in proper position laterally by the striker-pin k, (shown. in dotted lines in Fig. 2 in its different positions,) which works freely through an opening in the rear end of the corresponding reeeiving-chamber,g. A projection, m, on each striker engages with the spiral groove of the scroll-cam, (see Figs. 1 and 3,) so that when the latter is rotated in the proper direction (shown by the arrows) the cam-groove forces back the striker against a helical or other spring, a, into the position shown in Fig. 3-that is to say, cocked and ready for action. By the time the revolution of the cam is nearly completed the said projection at will be on the point of entering the straight portion t of the cam-groove, (see the middle compartment of Fig. 2,) and being released by entering the groove z' on the completion of the revolution of the cam will be suddenly and forcibly propelled forward by the helical spring n into the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby propelling the cigar through the open mouth of the receiving-chamber. The cigars, when placed in their compartments, are by preference disposed with their small or twisted ends to the front, so that when they are dropped singly into the receiving-chambers from the hollow cylinders their larger ends will be presented to the action of the propellers or strikers, and their small ends to the exit-mouth of the said chamber, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, thus facilitating their free discharge and avoiding all chance of injury to the cigar.

In order to prevent any possibility of fraud by the introduction of a cigar back through the receiving-chamber 1 and cylinder 1), I employ a self-acting guard-arm or check apparatus, which I shall now proceed to describe.

0 is a rocking spindle turning in bearings 19 and formed with a crank or arm, q, the whole being sunk into a groove or recess in the side E of each compartment, so as to lie flush therewith when not in action. The said rocking spindle is further provided or formed at its rear end with a short lever-arm, r, acted upon so as to be raised at each revolution of the cylinder by a projection or pin, 8, on the side of the scroll-cam h or on the face ofa ratchet-wheel, t, fixed to the said cam, a detent, u, engaging with the teeth of the ratchet- Wheel, preventing the cylinder being rotated in the reverse direction to that shown by the arrows. The projection or pin 8, by acting on the short lever-arm r, causes the same to be raised and the rocking spindle 0 to rock in its bearings, whereby the crank or arm (1 of the check apparatus is caused to move outward from the side of the vertical compartment and to enter the hollow cylinderjust as the opening 0 in the side of the said cylinder is brought opposite to the end of the said arm, as shown at the second compartment from the right in Fig. 4, the arm or crank q returning again under the action of the spring r on the lever r to its original position flush with the side of the compartment just before the opening in the cylinder has passed it. The projection or pin 8 should be so situate in re lation to the opening in the cylinder as to be timed to operate in the manner above set forth, and a portion of the projection may be IIO made concentric in order that the cranked part q of the guard may, if found requisite, be caused to pause or dwell for a short time after it has entered into the interior of the cylinder and before leaving it.

So long as the apparatus is used legitimately, it is obvious that the crank q will, when the cylinder and cam h are rotated in the direction of the arrow, enter the empty space in the cylinder through thelateral opening 0 and recede again under the action of the spring r once for each revolution; but in the event of a cigar having been fraudulently inserted into the cylinder from the receivingchamber 5/ its presence will obstruct the in ward movement of the crank q, thereby preventing the lifting of the lever-arm r and checking the further rotation of the cylinder in the direction required, and as the cylinder cannot be turned in the reverse direction, owing to the ratchet-wheel t and detent u, the fact that the apparatus has been tampered with will be at once detected by the state of the mechanism.

If desired, panels of glass, as shown at to, Figs. 1 and 4, may be let into the front or sides and top of the box or cabinet to enable the cigars in the vertical compartments to be inspected from the outside, and any well-known counter may obviously be worked from the cylinders, so as to indicate on adial the number of cigars delivered; but this forms no part of my present invention.

00 is aseparate removable lid or cover, which,

may or may not be employed for closing in the compartment D containing the main portion of the mechanism when the lid B of the cabinet is open and for affording aread y means of access to the works for inspection or repairs, for which purpose also the back of the box may, if desired, be made removable, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, it being maintained in position by pins or dowels, for ex ample, at the bottom and by a button or other simple fastening, '1, at the top. Should it be required to withdraw a cylinder, for example, first remove the back of the box, then withdraw the striker and unscrew the correspond I ing scroll-cam with its ratchet-wheel from the end of its cylinder, when the latter will be free to be withdrawn from the front of the box. The upright partitions E may also, if desired, be made to slide out, as well as the upperpart of the transverse partition 0, for the facility of affording free access to the rocking spindle 0 of the guard or other cheek apparatus.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination, in adetector cigar box or cabinet, for preventing the fraudulent use thereof, of the following instrumentalities: first, a box or case having one or more compartments to receive separate rows of cigars, and adapted to be locked or sealed; second, a rotatable hollow slotted cylindrical delivering device located at the end of each of said compartments; third, a receptacle to receive the cigar as it escapes from said delivery device; fourth, a device, substantially as described, actuated by the delivering device to eject the cigar from the said receptacle; and, fifth, a guard or dctent, also operated by the delivering device, to prevent-the insertion of a cigar into the cabinet or case through the said delivering device, as set forth.

2. The combination, in a cigar case or cabinet substantially as described, pf the delivering-cylinder and the expelling or discharging device consisting of the striker adapted to be withdrawn by a scrollcam on the delivering device, and a spring to impel the striker forward when it has reached its extreme withdrawn position on the cam, as set forth.

3. The combination, in a cigar case or cabinet havingthe delivery-cylinder, substantially as described, of the guard or check device consisting of a rocking spindle carrying a crank-arm operated by a cam projection rotating with the said delivery-cylinder, said arm being caused to enter and leave the cylinder laterally once at each revolution thereof, as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, in a cigar box or cabinet, of the narrow compartment a, slotted rotating delivery-cylinder b, and rocking guard or check arm q, actuated from the said cylinder, as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination, in a cigar box or cabinet, of the narrow compartment a, slotted r0- tary deliverycylinder b, guard or check arm q, receptacle g, and spring-actuated striker or expeller it, working through the inner end of said receptacle, as and for the purpose specified.

in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J AMES FRANCIS HIGKIE. Witnesses:

FREDK. J. RAPSON,

36 Southampton Buildings, London. J NO. DEAN,

17 Graceclmrch St, London, E. O.

In witness whereof [have signed my name 105 

